Data di Pubblicazione:
2022
Citazione:
On-site maturation and fertilization of African lion (Panthera leo) oocytes / J. Zahmel, S. Jänsch, G.C.R. Luvoni, J. Stagegaard, K. Skalborg Simonsen, M. Colombo. ((Intervento presentato al convegno The 9th International Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction in a joint meeting with the 24th European Veterinary Society for Small Animal Reproduction Congress - ISCFR-EVSSAR 2020+2 tenutosi a Milano : 30 giugno-2 luglio nel 2022.
Abstract:
African lions reproduce well in zoos leading to the fact that occasionally ovaries and testis are
available for in vitro experiments. We previously performed in vitro maturation (IVM) and
fertilization (IVF) of lion oocytes in our laboratory and were able to produce advanced embryos after
intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with cryopreserved sperm [1]. Here we examined whether
our methods can also be performed on-site without a specialized IVF laboratory in order to minimize
transport ways and risks. Thus, on-site means neither in vivo nor a fully field-tested cascade of IVF
techniques. Rather it is a first out-of-the-lab step towards an implementation of IVF under field-like
conditions.
Oocytes of five lionesses (one to 13 years old) were obtained after euthanasia for population
management in two safari parks and immediately processed on site. Oocytes (n = 216) were cultured
for IVM in Quinn’s Advantage Protein Plus™ Blastocyst Medium supplemented with 0.2 IU /mL
human luteinizing hormone (LH) and 0.5 IU /mL human pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
in a transportable incubator for 26-32 hours. Conditions were set to 39ºC, 5% CO2 and humidified air
atmosphere. Afterwards, the oocytes were fertilized with frozen-thawed epididymal sperm of three
different males and fresh epididymal sperm of one male. One hundred and twenty-two (56.5%)
oocytes matured, and 32 zygotes (26.2%) cleaved after in vitro fertilization under the same on-site
conditions. Vitrification was finally performed under laboratory conditions with 16 embryos, most of
them at an early cleavage stage of 2-8 cells. These embryos are still frozen for potential transfer
experiments.
The rest of the embryos was cultured for up to seven days. One blastocyst and three morulae
developed, although most of the embryos arrested at an early cleavage stage, which was also observed
in former experiments under optimal laboratory conditions. These results demonstrated not only the
possibility of “on site” IVF of African lion oocytes but also allowed vitrification of early stage lion
embryos for the first time. In the future, the complete IVF procedure from oocyte retrieval to embryo
transfer in African lions could become conceivable under “on site” or even field conditions.
[1] Fernandez-Gonzalez L, Hribal R, Stagegaard J, et al. Production of lion (Panthera leo) blastocysts
after in vitro maturation and ICSI. Theriogenology 2015;83:995-9.
Tipologia IRIS:
14 - Intervento a convegno non pubblicato
Elenco autori:
J. Zahmel, S. Jänsch, G.C.R. Luvoni, J. Stagegaard, K. Skalborg Simonsen, M. Colombo
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